Written by Tom King
Art by Elsa Charretier
Published by Image Comics
Tom King’s Love Everlasting is my favorite new title of 2022.
It is the story of Joan Peterson, a woman who discovers that she is trapped in an endless terrifying cycle of romance novels.
Like any good romance novel, there is a problem to be solved and a man to marry; however, every time Joan believes that she has found love everlasting, she is torn from one world and thrust into another Harlequin book-style romance.
King once again proves his genius; his format and style are brilliant.
Readers are introduced to Joan through a series of mini-stories.
In each one, Joan finds true and lasting love only to wake up in the next story as Joan but now in a new world and setting. Sometimes Joan is in the Victorian 1800s, in other words, the Old West or even the late 1960s. Joan is unstuck in time with the memories of past love and histories that are beginning to overlap and are slowly driving Joan insane.
King’s story is slow to start, but by the end of issue two, when Joan decides to break the cycle, we get our first hint of who is pulling the strings in Joan’s life.
Charretier’s art is brilliant and is a well-suited companion to King’s prose. I am a fan of old-school serialized comics, like the old Popeye serials from the 1930s. Charretier perfectly captures the spirit and look of an old-school romance novel.
If Love Everlasting has one flaw is that after reading the five issues included in this volume, one is still as much in the dark as what is happening with Joan, and she is, I like a slow burn, but I hope by the time we get to issue six of this series, King picks up the pace a bit.
Nevertheless, you can’t go wrong if you decide to add this brilliant and provocative book to your pull list!
5 out of 5 stars
